Persona 3 Drabble Collection
by Der-Fuchsprophet
Summary: Since I have too many to post individually, I'll just post them as chapters here. I've got a good share of yaoi, yuri, and het couples, don't you worry. There'll be a short intro describing each drabble and their warnings.
1. Winter Smile

**Title: **"Winter Smile"

**Rating: **PG

**Genre: **Romance, fluff, angst

**Pairings:** Arisato Minato x Mochizuki Ryoji

**Warnings:** Yaoi, SPOILERS

**Summary:** Ryoji knows he's responsible for all of Minato's pain, and it wreaks havoc on what little of a soul he has.

**Assisting Song: **"All I Need" by Within Temptation (Seriously, this is my MinaRyo/'intimate romance' theme song)

**POV: **Ryoji

_Winter Smile_

I sat silently, hugging my knees, in the darkness of the shadow of the tall buildings around me. The only thing keeping me company was the voices of normal people, which faded with the sunlight, and the groans of those victim of 'Apathy Syndrome', or the Lost Ones, as they should be known. As the sun began to set, a silence settled in, even amongst the Lost Ones. I tried not to think. I tried very hard to keep my mind off of anything, because anything would break my heart. Because it didn't matter what thought I started with - it always drew back to Minato. And I didn't want to think about him. It hurt to think about him.

I shifted my weight subconsciously, wincing as something jabbed me uncomfortably in my pocket. I pulled it from my pants, looking blankly at my cell phone. It was turned off. As soon as this registered, I became aware of how cold it was, and began shivering uncontrollably. I curled up more, and a thought struck my mind. _I want to feel his warmth._ I gasped, the train of thoughts rushing uncontrollably.

_I wish he was here._

_He probably hates me._

_He's got to be terrified. Afraid. Afraid of me._

_It's all my fault. _I began to weep. _It's all my fault. If he's afraid, it's because of me. If he's mad, it's because of me._ The sobs wracked my chest, forcing me to uncurl from my position. I shakily got on my hands and knees, sobbing and crying. I thought I was going to throw up. I was shaking, shivering, crying, sobbing, wailing, and I couldn't stop. It escalated with my thoughts.

_Minato is going to die, and it's because of me._

_In his last moments, he'll be afraid. He'll be so scared._

_And it will be my fault. He'll die._

_No, he'll become a Lost One._

_I'll never see him again. All because of what I am. It's all my fault._

Sure enough, the stress of sobbing so violently in the cold made me dry heave. I choked, trying to spit up what I could. Unable to throw up, focusing on the physical pain rather than the emotional, I calmed down, and recovered enough to curl back up in a shivering ball. It was so cold. It was dark, even with the lights in the streets... the christmas lights...

I glanced down at my phone a second time. I began crying again, but didn't sob. _I want to see him,_ I thought, _I want to be with him. I want him to make me smile. I want to see his beautiful face._ Before I realized it, I had already turned on my phone and dialed Minato's number. I gripped the phone as it dawned on me. _He won't smile for me. He won't comfort me. He won't be kind. He'll be afraid. I'm the one responsible for his fears._

"Ryoji?" Minato's soft voice ushered over the speaker, ripping a sob out of my chest. "Ryoji, is that you? What's wrong?"

"Mina...to..." I whimpered, "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I'm... ungh..." I coughed, shaking even more.

"Ryoji, where are you?" Minato asked in a soft, but demanding voice, "Tell me. Please. Where are you?"

"Iwa..." I couldn't finish the word. I was reduced to sobs and wailing once more, hunched over, gripping my phone as if to break it. "I--I'm sorry, Minato, it... it... it's my f-fault, I'm so sorry--" when I looked at the phone, Minato had hung up. I snapped it shut, knowing better than to expect him to come. The feeling of hopelessness washing over me, lessening the despair, I calmed. _Minato hates me. I'm not making him suffer. He'll have no trouble killing me. I don't want to see him upset. I don't want him to be miserable. I want to see his beautiful smile. I want him to be happy._

I remained there, shaking and weeping. I had never been so cold in my life. I had never felt so sick in my life. I stared at the starry sky, thoughtlessly. I merely took in the sight, focused intently on the stars. I forbade any other thought. Eventually, I fell asleep.

I woke with a start when I felt something warm on my face. My eyes flew open to meet Minato's worried face. I instantly began crying again, repeating 'I'm sorry' and 'it's my fault' endlessly between breaths. I could hear Minato's voice, but not what he was saying. My body was shaking too hard, and I was wailing too loud. My ears were too numb. My heart too broken. So when I felt Minato lift my head and kiss me tenderly, when I tasted the sweetness of egg nog in Minato's mouth, when I felt my tears slow and fade, when I felt my face warm up... I felt as if I had been shot. As if I was dying. It felt so good. Like I was fading away into nothingness - like all of me was disappearing. My eyes opened, as if on instinct, and were met with Minato's. Yet this time, they did not shed tears. "Mina...to..."

"Ryoji," he ushered, his beautiful voice crystal clear to me now, "Please don't cry. Please. It hurts to see you sad."

"It's my fau--"

"You shut your mouth," Minato insisted softly, pecking my lips gingerly. "It was already decided by Nyx. You didn't know. You haven't done anything wrong."

It hurt me to hear those words. How could I have done nothing wrong? When it all became clear to me, and when I revealed it to them... they all became scared. Junpei became enraged at me. Even Minato looked afraid. And yet here he was, insisting that I had done no wrong.

"Stop that," Minato said, drawing my attention, "I know what you're thinking. Stop that. You're not responsible. If you were, I wouldn't be here, Ryoji."

"Oh God, Minato," I bawled, trembling even more. Minato pulled me into a hug, and I couldn't bring myself to return it. Instead I remained there, crying into his collarbone. His warm, gentle hands stroked my hair, and his soothing voice shushed me. I was reluctant when Minato pulled me from my resting spot, but I looked at him quietly as he held my face at my level.

"Look at me, Ryoji," Minato said softly. I directed my eyes to meet his. "...All of that doesn't matter right now."

"What do you mean, it doesn't--"

"It doesn't matter," Minato interupted, "Not on Christmas. Christmas is for spending time with the one you love the most. ...That's why I'm here. Ryoji, I _love_ you. I want happiness for you. At the very least, spend Christmas with me?"

"...Minato..." I ushered softly, gulping dryly. A beautiful, angelic smile was on his face. Without a thought, without a second of hesitation, my mouth twitched at the corners before pulling into a smile. I felt myself get lighter. That beautiful smile... "You're so... so handsome... your smile..."

"Yours, as well," Minato ushered back, pulling me to my feet. "You have the most heart-warming smile."

"O-oh, Minato..." I whimpered, starting to choke back tears again. Though instead of dread and nausia in my chest, I felt as if my rib cage was full of warm air, about to burst like a balloon. I threw my arms around Minato's neck and kissed him, letting my tears fall once more. "I... I love you!" I gasped, gripping the fabric of his coat and hugging as tightly as I could. "Your happiness... is the best present I could have ever gotten... oh, Minato..."

"Don't worry about it," Minato whispered to me in his beautiful, sublime voice. "Merry Christmas, Ryoji. I want this... to be the best day of our lives. No matter how long or short they may be."

"..." I started to say, _when the time comes, please kill me_, but I stopped. Instead, I looked into Minato's angelic face, at his warm smile, and forgot everything except one thing.

"...I love you, Minato."


	2. Final Night

**Title: **"Our Final Night"

**Rating: **PG

**Genre: **Romance, angst (big ass time)

**Pairings:** Mochizuki Ryoji x Arisato Minato

**Warnings:** Yaoi, hella lot of spoilers

**Summary:** Ryoji suffers the consequences when he reveals his true self to Minato. Minato's reaction brings an even further dawning upon Ryoji, and hurts him beyond comprehension.

**Assisting Song: **"All I Need" by Within Temptation (I'm addicted to this freaking pretty song)

_Our Final Night_

"Please... Minato... don't hesitate," Ryoji encouraged sadly, looking at Minato. "I... I'll disappear anyway. Please, I don't want to make you suffer..."

"I... I can't," Minato replied softly, "There are... too many reasons I can't do that, Ryoji."

"Minato... please..." Ryoji began to insist.

"N-no, Ryoji... if anything, I don't... I don't want to forget you," Minato replied sadly, his eyes watering. Ryoji touched Minato's shoulder. Minato shivered under Ryoji's touch. The boy's face was streaked with tears. "Ryoji..." he whimpered, tears flowing freely. "I can't. I won't."

"Minato," Ryoji attempted a more firm approach. "I didn't want to have to--"

"Ryoji," Minato interrupted, "I _love_ you. There is nothing you can show me, or do to me, that will change that. I... I will do anything for you, except kill you. That is my only selfish desire."

"Minato," Ryoji sighed, "I didn't want to show you this, but you leave me no choice." Ryoji's form faded in favor of Thanatos. Minato looked upon him, eyes wide with fear. Ryoji could see Minato tremble in fear, and it made what little of his heart that was human tremble in unison. "Minato. This is only a glimpse of what I'm to become. Are you certain that you will not kill me?" Ryoji pointed his sword reluctantly towards Minato, who although incredibly frightened, did not move to defend himself.

"I won't!" Minato cried, beginning to sob and shake even more. Ryoji retreated into his human form, approaching Minato again, who was backed against the wall, crying and shaking his head. "No, Ryoji, I can't...!! I... I..."

"Hey," Ryoji said softly, brushing Minato's blue hair from his face, "You don't have to force yourself to love me. I know you're afraid."

"I-I'm terrified," Minato sobbed, looking completely out of his usual character. "But I... I still love you. I'm so scared of what you showed me, Ryoji, but I still love you. You... you've always been with me, haven't you? Since I was little. Even though I'm scared witless of you... I still... I still..." Ryoji cut him off, kissing him passionately. "R-Ryoji..."

"It's okay," Ryoji whispered, a tear streaming down his cheek. "Please. Please don't cry. I don't like to see you so upset. Even if it's my fault..."

"I-I can't help it," Minato whimpered, "I... once I start, I can't really stop. I don't want you to go, Ryoji. I want to go with you. I want to be with you. I wish... I wish none of this was happening... but I never want to forget, even the worst parts..."

"Minato..."

"Do you love me, Ryoji? Do you feel emotions, like I believe you do? Do you love me with all of your heart?" Minato asked, pressing his forehead against Ryoji's.

"...Of course. But I have to go," Ryoji whispered, "I don't want you to watch me disappear. I don't want you to see something that horrible. ...Come on. I'll explain to everyone how to challenge Nyx."

"...Okay," Minato whispered softly, rubbing his eyes dry and holding Ryoji's hand as they went down to the lounge.


	3. Strawberry Bruises

**Title: **"Strawberry Bruises"

**Rating:** PG 13

**Genre: **Romance

**Pairings: **Aragaki Shinjiro x Arisato Minato (Main)

**Warnings: **Shounen-Ai

**Summary:** After Minato punishes Shinjiro for cursing in front of Ken, the older teen finds himself wanting to figure out the blue-haired boy rather than ignoring him, like before... turns out, however, that Minato has a surprise hidden behind his shield.

* * *

_Strawberry Bruises_

* * *

The sound of ringing in one's ears usually drove newly awakened Persona-users and people not transmogrified to insanity. The thick smell of iron - of blood - stirred irrational fear. The nightmarish images usually switched the fight-or-flight instinct to full sensitivity. But to veteran Persona users, this ringing was dulled out, and it was actually more uncomfortable to sit in a silent room before or after the dark hour in the complete absense of sound. Shinjiro had learned that the ever-mysterious Minato listened to his headphones habitually for this reason.

Normally, Shinjiro wouldn't find any interest in someone enough to try and unravel the workings of their mind. His initial impression of someone was usually all he wanted or needed. And his initial impression of Minato wasn't impressive. When he first looked at Minato, he saw a fire burning weakly behind grey eyes, and heard a voice soft and quiet with timidity. He didn't spend too much time with the younger boy (or with anyone at all, for that matter - most of his socializing was argueing with Akihiko), so it was awkward to feel his presense constantly. He was almost bitter that the boy was the new leader in place of Akihiko. And although he huffed when Minato picked him to ascend Tartarus that day, he did not argue.

Minato outfitted Shinjiro with gobs of new equipment, Ken Amada being the only one with better equipment. Shinjiro initially thought that Minato was trying to butter him up on the first run, but he later learned that Minato was taking the new member out on a test run, like he usually did, and gave him good quality for his entry into the group. But he did not know that as he received it, and took it as patronizing.

Minato's fighting ability was surprising to him. He started with a pair of gloves, which irritated Shinjiro (it offended him that anyone should try and outdo Aki's main skill), and then started using a rapier. The boy insisted on hunting for golden shadows, and hushed his team as he peaked around each and every corner on each floor visited. A couple of times, the group would reach the stairs after fully searching a floor, and would go up a floor. On these floors, the Mitsuru-replacement, named Fuuka, would exclaim in their heads, "...Be careful! There's more enemies on this floor than normal...!" Minato would grimace, and dash quickly, with less caution. A few times, the golden foes spotted the charging group and would flee, but after two of these floors, Shinjiro understood why Minato was in a hurry. Fuuka almost always followed up after stating the unusually high number of foes, "...!! I sense Death!!" At hearing that, Minato would bolt in full stride (often picking up Ken, who would never keep up with his sprint) towards the stairs. They were ALMOST caught by Death about four times. Minato explained that Death was likely a level 99 foe, earning some understanding in his reason.

After the ruthless slaughter of a rare foe, Minato proudly displayed the medal he retrieved from the monster. Shinjiro sighed apathetically, not seeing any value in it. He followed as Minato lead them back into actual training, aggressively striking out against the foes. Shinjiro was quite successful (to Minato's great approval, it seemed) in battle, but when he proclaimed loudly once knocking down all foes, "Alright, let's kick some ass!", Minato responded with a glare.

"Don't curse in front of children!" He barked, giving Shinjiro an uppercut nastier than any sort of blow he'd taken from a human being before.

After the punch, Shinjiro would sulk in the corner of the lounge for the next few days, trying to reevaluate the blue-haired boy. And at first, all he was contemplating was what on earth caused Minato to react the way he did to Shinjiro's cursing. As he observed the boy, he saw a silent paternal instinct working as he spoke with and otherwise interacted with Ken Amada. Not so much the friendliness Minato displayed silently with Akihiko, or Junpei, or Yukari. Or anyone in S.E.E.S., for that matter. He treated everyone a bit differently. He even behaved differently to Shinjiro... but the signals Shinjiro received from the boy were confusing.

With the memory (and bruise) in mind, it was strange when Minato approached him with such tenderness in his voice and actions. It especially surprised Shinjiro because of how it contrasted with Akihiko's Minato. Shinjiro didn't know the other S.E.E.S. members too well (save for Mitsuru), so Akihiko was an easy reference point. Minato still didn't speak much when talking to Akihiko, but he was a bit more vocal than with anyone else. When Minato spoke to Akihiko, he was completely unabashed, and although he didn't seem to need more than a three word comment for whatever thought crossed his mind, he was very frank about it. He also spoke this way with Junpei. But unlike with Junpei, the body language Minato displayed when directly addressing Akihiko was submission. It was obvious that Minato respected Akihiko as his superior, and his body language showed that.

This body language was not present when Minato approached Shinjiro. The way he moved around Shinjiro was soft, meek. It was still submissive, in a way, but it had a more gentle feel to it. More subtle. Minato's voice was soft, and if it had humor, it was slightly coy or sly. He treated Shinjiro sweetly, with soft smiles and polite gestures, and after seeing the dark side of the boy, Shinjiro was confused and frustrated. After a few days of frustration, he finally decided to confront the blue-haired menace.

* * *

Arms slammed up against the wall of the alley beside the dorm, Minato trapped between them, Shinjiro stared the boy down angrily. Several days of mentally toiling over the logistics of Minato's mentality snapped any sense of patience left in Shinjiro, even with those kindly gazing silver eyes staring up into his...

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Shinjiro finally growled, eyebrow twitching. He already felt his ears get hot, and he hoped he wasn't blushing and looked like he was fuming instead. Minato giggled, pissing off the teen even more. "What are you _laughing _at??"

"You," Minato answered softly, his smile big but barely pulling at the muscles in his cheeks, very unlike the humored grins he gave Junpei. "You have a big pink bruise under your chin."

"Thanks to you, you nutcase," Shinjiro growled, removing his hands from the wall and rubbing said bruise.

"Oh, right," Minato giggled, turning pink, "Sorry about that. I just don't think you should swear so badly in front of Ken. So next time you curse in front of him, I'll give you another strawberry bruise somewhere else."

"Strawberry bruise?" Shinjiro asked, grimacing.

"Dad used to call them that. Bruises that aren't very purple or blue, that are more of a dark red, are called strawberry bruises."

"Your dad, huh..." Shinjiro sighed, knowing that the boy no longer had parents. Shinjiro had never had parents, but he knew that it wasn't nearly as painful as having parents and then loosing them. Even so, Minato continued to smile so sweetly at him... "Why are you smiling like that? You just talked about your parents. I know that they're dead, too. Doesn't it bother you?"

"No. Because that memory of them is a happy one," Minato said, smile not faltering at all, "and because you're the first person I've shared it with."

"...What's wrong with you?" Shinjiro repeated his earlier question, though much more softly than before. His face was undoubtedly red.

"...I like you," Minato said, smiling slightly broader, "A lot." Shinjiro waited, hoping to hear more. When no further words came, he cursed and stamped his foot into the ground out of exasperation.

"Damnit, Minato, I _understand _that, but _why?? Why do you like me so much?_" Shinjiro exclaimed, his voice raising a bit and his face contorting in a mixed emotion. The confusion swirled in the brunette's head fiercely. Minato did nothing but smile somewhat sadly at the taller man. Shinjiro looked down at him, almost glaring, and saw the smaller boy's expression fade from happiness to disappointment. The emotion he _should_ have seen when the boy spoke about his parents. Shinjiro sighed, patting Minato's head a bit more roughly than he intended, "Don't look like that, your face will get stuck. What's wrong _now_?"

"..." Minato opened his mouth as if to speak, but stopped. After a moment, Minato grabbed Shinjiro's shirt and pulled him down gently (because luckily, it was too quick for Shinjiro to realize what was going on and react) to his level. Once Shinjiro was bent over enough, Minato placed a tender kiss on the older boy's lower lip. It lasted for but a brief second before Shinjiro jumped back, his face exploding into deeper and deeper shades of red, the back of his hand wiping his mouth furiously.

"Y-You meant like _that!_ Jesus, give a guy a warning!!" Shinjiro managed to spit out, still shaking and studdering from confusion and embarassment. Minato gave him a meek smile of amusement before sighing sadly. Shinjiro froze. Something in his brain clicked when he saw that expression on Minato's face. He was fighting the urge to go and kiss him back, when he finally compromised and pulled the boy into a hug. "Jeez. You should have _warned _me about that. Less subtly than you do. I'm used to being around people like Aki. Jeeeeeeeez," he groaned again, turning pink once more, "I don't know why you make me act like this. It's humiliating."

"Sorry," Minato mumbled from Shinjiro's jacket. Shinjiro sighed, merely holding the boy in his arms.

He took a moment to reevaluate Minato once more. And not just Minato - himself. Perhaps the reason Minato had access to so many personae was because of his ability to modify himself to best suit the people he socializes with. And in doing so, he develops a relationship with the person that not only modifies Minato's unique personality for this person, he also provokes the mutation of the person themself. Shinjiro noticed the dramatic change in his personality when he was around Minato. His apathy was greatly overpowered by confusing and embarassing emotions...

Shinjiro stopped his train of thought once he felt Minato return the embrace. He tried to regain his train of thought... but at the sight and feel of Minato hugging him was distracting enough. It turned his mind into a blank slate.

Gates are down, lights are flashing, but the train's not coming...

With this thought in mind, Shinjiro laughed, surprising Minato. Minato then smiled up at Shinjiro, a look of complete bliss on his face. When Shinjiro noticed the gaze, he stopped and frowned at Minato. "Wh-what are you staring at?"

"You _laughed_," Minato said with a faint giggle, "And _smiled_. You look handsome that way."

"Jeez, you queer," Shinjiro grumbled, angry at how hot his cheeks felt as he looked away. He looked at the boy again in curiosity as he reached up to whisper in Shinjiro's ear.

"...It takes one to know one," he ushered slyly.

...

Many strawberry bruises (as well as hickies) were found on the boys the following morning.

"Strawberry bruises" is an expression my dad uses... he's a weirdo, yup...


	4. Comedies

**Title: **"Comedies"

**Rating: **PG 13

**Genre: **Romance, fluff, humor

**Pairings:**Hidetoshi x Keisuke

**Warnings:**Yaoi, tooth-rottening sweetness, crack pairing

**Summary:**Hidetoshi suffers a small injury from a delinquent, and Keisuke is the first one who begins tending to him, much to the younger boy's dismay...

**Assisting Song: **"Comedies - Yuiko" by Sasaji Masanori, from the 'Loveless' OST

Comedies

* * *

I hissed as I stepped just the wrong way down the stairs. I sat down, eyes watering at the pain. I had been beaten up pretty badly the day before, chasing after the smoker, but I probably deserved it. Minato warned me about going off on my own after a delinquent. I enjoyed the fact that he didn't inhibit my goal to uphold the rules, but still warned me to be careful and not get hurt. It was a little sad that I couldn't. I had seen teens from the school in the back streets around the station, and I was incredibly blessed that Minato appeared at that moment.

He mentioned that the real reason he had been there was to speak with a man he had befriended, supposedly the famous Tanaka. And while I had already been roughed up a bit, they didn't get much time to continue assaulting me once Minato found them. He took a good deal of damage, certainly, having gone up against at least four rather tough punks, but he beat _them_within an inch of their lives, displaying a scary sense of territoriality I had never seen before. Although we were both bloodied, he let me use him to support my weight to get back home. My parents, not home quite yet, never found out, and Minato merely asked that I get myself remedied and retreated to tend to his own wounds.

I meant to find Minato today, to thank him, but he was absent. Something I probably should have done, I thought, as I rubbed my chest.

"A-are you alright?" a panicked voice asked, panting heavily. I looked up at someone I vaguely recognized as one of Minato's friends and club mates. "You... look like you're in a great deal of pain...!"

"I-I'm fine, it's nothing I don't deserve," I huffed offendedly, not enjoying the more dramatic concern. "Have you seen Minato today?"

"N-no, I haven't... d-don't change the subject!" he asserted, staring me down. I frowned.

"...What?"

"Does it hurt to breathe?"

"Wha...??"

"I... I'm studying to be a doctor. But, I'm mainly just concerned about your well-being."

"...Aren't you in Minato's art club or whatever?"

"Y-yes, I was," he sighed, frowning, "Until I almost severely injured Minato. He... he could have died. I was scared. That, and a few events that followed it, led me to follow what I suppose is my true calling."

"...That's nice and all, but what does it have to do with me?" I asked grumpily.

"You're hurt. Did something happen?"

"Yeah, it did. But like I said, it's not something I didn't deserve."

"...You mean, you were beaten...??"

"Minato worse than myself," I groaned, attempting to stand up. I was startled when the normally shy brunette pushed me back down.

"That's no reason to leave your injuries unattended. I'll take care of Minato later," Keisuke asserted aggressively, moving to undo my shirt. I tensed. I thanked every god of every religion I could think of that no one was in the stairwell this late in the day, where clubs were in the middle of their meetings and no one was really wandering about. "Calm down, I just want to see your injuries."

"Yeah right," I growled, despite knowing he was probably being honest. I felt myself getting more and more red as he finally got my shirt opened. My blush quickly vanished and was likely replaced with a green hue as I saw the sick-looking bruises on my chest. Apparently, those punks had done better than I thought.

"Oh my god," Keisuke muttered, tracing his fingers lightly over the bruises, making me squirm. He looked up at me in surprise, and I merely turned pink. I was ticklish. Keisuke seemed to realize this, and with a brief laugh, continued his inspection, pressing in certain areas.

"Ouch. Ouch. Ow--OUCH DON'T TOUCH THERE," I roared, pushing Keisuke's hand away. "Saying you want to be a doctor is really just an excuse to inappropriately touch people, isn't it?" I hissed, glaring at him. He gave me a weak smile, followed by a worried expression.

"Sorry. ...Your ribs are in bad shape. ...Probably broken. It's a good thing it hurts, though... it might be bad if you can't feel any pain there and you have a broken rib."

"What would that mean, then?" I asked, though bitterly.

"...Bad things, surgery, blood transfusion... any one or combination of those things, and more," Keisuke sighed. "Is this it?"

"No, I was struck in the head a few times," I admitted, finally surrendering to his doctoring. "Luckily, no black eyes or broken noses."

"Just the busted lip," Keisuke sighed, looking at it. "You better be putting ointment on it to keep it from getting infected."

"Yes, I am. My mother didn't get past that one. It still stings, though," I sighed. I jumped as Keisuke very quickly embraced me, kissing my lip tenderly. He released me just as quickly as he had embraced me, leaving me stunned. After about four minutes of mental paralysis, I finally broke free and backhanded him, startling him.

"You SICK IDIOT!" I howled, startling him.

"I-I didn't mean--I don't normally--I couldn't help myself--you were just so... and I... and--"

"Shut up, already," I said, pouting and touching my lips tenderly. It felt strange, but it felt _good_. For a moment, I wanted to compare it to Minato's kiss, but while I _thought_ I had, I recollected that I _hadn't._So why...? Keisuke noticed my expression, but said nothing verbally. His face was enough. "I... maybe my memory was bad, anyway. I feel like I'm forgetting something."

"...About Minato?"

"How...?"

"If anyone makes that face, it's usually about Minato-kun," Keisuke explained softly. "I've made that face a few times for him, too."

"I don't... _think_ I had a relationship with him, but I get these _thoughts_ that I did. I dunno. He's... a good friend, despite the rough spot we had a while back."

"The scar?" Keisuke asked, looking at my belly. My stomach churned.

"...Minato told you?"

"I forced it out of him. I thought he was breaking under stress, but his breakdown was worse than that."

"...Huh. By the way, senpai," I added, a little mutely, "What possessed you to...?"

"I... don't know, actually," Keisuke said a bit sheepishly, turning red. "Sympathy...? No, that's not really it... I don't know."

"...Willing to find out?"


	5. Jealousy

**Title: **"Jealousy"

**Rating: **PG

**Genre: **Romance, fluff, humor

**Pairings:** Akihiko x Minato; hinted Minato x Ryoji

**Warnings:** Yaoi, tooth-rottening sweetness

**Summary:** Akihiko hears a rumor that Minato is dating Ryoji, and sees so-called 'evidence' of it... and eventually, he asks Yukari to help him out.

**Assisting Song: **"Jealousy" by Sasaji Masanori, from the 'Loveless' OST

Jealousy

* * *

"Hey, leader," Akihiko called, the blue-haired boy looking back at his senpai with big, silvery eyes. Akihiko recognized that expression as Minato's way of acknowledging his presense, and continued, "Mind if I accompany you to school today?"

"...Sure," Minato blinked, heading down. He nearly bumped into Ken, whom he gave a quick hug to before jogging downstairs. Akihiko similarly gave Ken a pat on the head and followed after Minato, surprised the boy wasn't going to eat breakfast. Minato's punctuality was Akihiko's excuse for keeping step with him.

But his true reason was his desire to be near him. Aki laughed bitterly when he recalled Aegis proclaiming a similar necessity to be by his side, and was grateful that Minato was focused on his music and didn't notice him. Sure enough, Minato got to school with plenty of time to spare, and who to run into but Ryoji.

"Minato-kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!" Ryoji called, waving excitedly. Akihiko inspected Minato's face, and frowned when he saw a soft smile on the boy's face. He knew he was just friends with Ryoji, but...

"Hey, man, you made it!" Junpei proclaimed. Minato gave him a questioning look. "What, no comment? I beat you to school today!!"

"...I get here before you...?" Minato asked, pulling a laugh from Aki. That was so like Minato.

"Hey, Minato-kun, wanna go spend the evening together?" Ryoji asked, grinning ear-to-ear. I glanced at Ryoji. There had been particularly nasty rumors going about the school about Ryoji's notorious flirting habits, as well as rumors of how Minato seemed to fall for it...

"...When?"

"After school. You wanna come, Junpei?"

"Naw, I got things to do, for once..." Junpei sighed, a bit defeated. "In fact, I gotta get to class early, since Kenji wanted to talk to me. See ya guys later."

"Bye..." Minato said softly. That soft tone... Aki had heard it through many different situations, but it never faltered from that single note. That calm voice, that could convey authority, passion, entheusiasm, apathy, and warmth all without changing its tune. That voice was so rarely used, after all. And Aki had been confided to Minato's secret, not long ago, when Aki was interrogating Minato after a minor incident. Then, he learned that Minato was afflicted with a mental disorder called 'Selective Mutism', likely derived from the event where he lost his parents. Minato didn't have a very active violent side, like most with selective mutism, but Aki also learned that he had always had an outlet. Before Tartarus, he had been a punk of sorts, and become one of the most fearsome fighters during middle school years. He was even known to beat up professional adult fighters, all in fights of self-defense. Whether what Minato told him was precisely true, or if some of it was foggy, hidden or censored, Aki took it as the truth. And Minato emphasized the trust he was putting into Aki with those secrets.

"...Akihiko-senpai," Minato started softly, grabbing Aki and pulling him off of Nostalgia Lane, "...Do you want to come, too?"

"H-huh? No, that's fine... I don't want to impede," Aki excused himself, starting off. He slowed, and saw them pass him and head upstairs. Aki turned, and saw Yukari entering the school. He jogged over to her, and caught her, "Takeba... can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Huh? Oh, sure, Akihiko-senpai..." Yukari agreed, meeting with Akihiko at the front of the school, where no one was listening. Akihiko explained the rumors to Yukari, who stopped and thought about them. "So... you want me to see if Minato is... in love with Ryoji?"

"Yes. I'd like to know," Aki sighed.

"Why...?" Yukari asked suspiciously, "Do you not want him dating other men?"

"Tha-that's not it..." Aki stumbled on his words very ungracefully, bringing the truth to Yukari's eyes instantly.

"Senpai...? Are you... _jealous_??" she accused, a shocked expression on her face. Aki crossed his arms, ground the tip of his shoe in the concrete, grimaced and turned bright red. That was enough of a yes for her to start grinning. "Oh, wow, Akihiko-senpai, I had... no idea! I'll keep it to myself, definately. I'll also look into his relationship with Ryoji, since that's what you asked of me."

"...Thank you."

"But, you know..." Yukari said as she headed off, "...You should talk to him yourself."

* * *

That night, Yukari reported what she had learned - while the two seemed suspicious, and Ryoji ever flirtatious, there was no real evidence or happenstance of Minato really returning those emotions, merely tolerating them. But Yukari still insisted that Akihiko go talk to him, and Aki found himself in front of Minato's door, his only method of escape blocked by a determined Takeba Yukari.

He went into Minato's room following permission, and waited for Minato to give him the signal to speak. Given the visual cue, Aki started to talk.

"...I... how do I put this..." Akihiko stumbled, a grimace on his face. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"...Calm down," Minato said softly, smiling sweetly at his senpai, "We have all the time in the world. No need to rush yourself. Go ahead and spend a few moments thinking."

"Hahah, I guess..." Aki laughed, pleased with the amount of words spoken to him, "I see your problem isn't so bad now."

"...It's easy to talk to you," Minato replied softly, but strongly. "I... do like you, after all."

"...How do you see me, Minato?" Aki then asked, feeling a bit more determined himself. "As a friend?"

"...However you like," Minato said in a small, coy voice, an equally small and coy little smile gracing his lips. Aki paused, interpreting that gesture. Minato then smiled sweetly at Aki. "...You like me too, right?"

"How... did you..."

"You're not good at lying," Minato replied, staring intently at him with his big silvery eyes, "Your body language is very obvious. Is that all you're here to talk about?"

"...No. I also want to talk... about Ryoji."

"About how I feel about him, no doubt," Minato nodded. Akihiko was once more stunned by this boy. Minato could see people better than anyone else. He could read them. His power beyond his power. Even if he never had a persona, he was destined for greatness. Minato smiled brighter. "I hold no truly romantic feelings for him. I feel, however, that he is a part of me. Kin, I suppose. But I wouldn't call it love. I reserve that emotion for whomever dedicates themselves to me."

"...You'll love anyone who loves you, huh...?"

"I'll love whoever loves me the most," Minato confirmed, "Or who approaches me with the most need. ...Do you need me, Akihiko-senpai? Not as a member of S.E.E.S., of course. Do you need me, as a person?"

"...No," Aki answered honestly, giving Minato an equally soft smile, "But I _want_ you. In every sense of that word."

"...Then... I am yours," Minato said, reaching up on the tips of his toes to kiss Akihiko's nose. "And you've no reason to be jealous anymore."


	6. Distractions

**Title: **"Distractions"

**Rating: **PG

**Genre: **Romance, "what the HELL" humor

**Pairings:** Ikutsuki Shuji -- Kirijo Mitsuru (one way, because by god I can't figure out how to reverse the pair)

**Warnings:** WTF-type pairing, slight OOCness, some spoilers

**Summary:** Although the end of the world was in sight, Shuji has a certain red head obscuring his vision and distracting him from his work... wait, what??

**Assisting Song: **"YUIKO - Comical" from the 'Loveless' OST

_

* * *

_

Distractions

* * *

Her hair is such a beautiful shade of red, it dawns on me, and it has such a gentle flow to it. She's got the most beautiful face... gorgeous full lips, angelic wine-red eyes, flawless silken skin. And her figure was just as breathtaking... subtle but present curves, especially around the hips and br--

My thoughts are cut short as my glasses fog up. I laugh to myself bitterly, removing them and wiping them off with my shirt. She, as well as Akihiko, send me a questioning look, but I merely reply that I thought of another joke and would love to share it if they wanted to hear it, and quickly earned from them a 'n-no, that's quite alright'. I look up to see her talking to Minato, who had apparently just returned home. I stared at him for a moment, attempting to clear my mind.

Yes, the boy who has Death sleeping inside of him. I'm reminded once more of my mission. I stare intently over her pretty head at him, giving him a little grin as he glances at me. He has a mixed expression on his face - one that makes the hair on the back of my neck rise. One half is discomfort, but the other... that glare, which I can sense Death staring at me through. It's exhilirating. He sulks off, and my eyes lower for a moment and catch sight of her again.

Damn, she's gorgeous. Not just her body, not just her looks. Her subtle movements; the way she gently fingers her skirt or strokes the back of her hand, much like a resting cat must twitch their tail... the way her luscious lips perk at every word... the way her eyes calmly focus on their target. Her voice is melodious. I hear Junpei comment that he prefer's Fuuka's voice, and I use this as a distraction. It distracts me from work, certainly, but it also pulls me out of my entrancement. I explain to Junpei the translation of the characters comprising Fuuka's name, as a topic for conversation, and he agrees wholeheartedly. True, Fuuka was a sweet girl. But still so young... compared to her senpai, that is. And on that note, I was once more ensnared in her presense, and I watched her again.

Damnit. I worked so hard to get my mind back on track, too. Instead, I'm entranced by her once more.


	7. Here, My Comfort

**Title: **"Here, My Comfort"

**Rating: **PG

**Genre: **Romance, fluff

**Pairings:** Pharos x Minato x Ryoji

**Warnings:** Yaoi, tooth-rottening sweetness, spoilarz

**Summary:** Although Pharos is gone, and Minato feels lonely, he meets someone who feels certainly familiar...

**Assisting Song: **"Angel" by Sarah McLachlan (a very pretty song... an old favorite of mine. You should listen to it... especially when reading this, to get the full emotion I was trying to convey. :3)

Here, My Comfort

* * *

I felt a heaviness in my heart as I looked upon Pharos. The sun was shining brightly. Something was wrong. He smiled sweetly, and announced that he was to leave. All I remember is a tear dripping down my cheek, and my own hand shakily reaching for him. He came closer, took my hand and placed it against his cheek. He looked at me, with those beautiful eyes. Eyes that, when I first met him, were deranged, hungry, like a wild animal... but were now so full of emotion, of love. They were beautiful. He smiled sweetly at me, and said those simple words.

"Don't worry, my friend. We'll meet again," he whispered to me in his voice.

I think I understood the nature of what Pharos was, despite knowing nothing of Death. I didn't feel that he was a Shadow - or any sort of evil, for that matter. Instead, I felt something different. Paternal instinct, I think. Or maternal, with the strange mentality I had when I saw him. I didn't exactly think the words, but I did _realize_ them, to some degree... I knew, somehow, that Pharos was a part of me. That he had rested within me for some time, before... I released him. Before he was born. And that was what hit me harder than anything else - I had, in effect, given birth to him. The release of Thanatos was the pain of the birth - the ripping of my soul to free him from me. And as he remained with me, he was my child. And while I never thought these words directly, I _felt_ the sentiment. I felt it, and didn't realize it. But like all children, I had to let him go.

This brought untold pain upon my soul. I could feel the absense of him. After Thanatos was released from my psyche the first time, I consistently felt a vacant spot in my soul. When Pharos left, I felt the void beyond anything I could have imagined. It hurt. I felt such desolation, and with no form of comfort.

Until he appeared. Ryoji.

I instinctively gravitated towards him. One look at those beautiful eyes and I knew. Not even that cute little mole was necessary to tip me off. Those crystal-clear, beautiful blue eyes... the eyes of my other half. Of the missing part of me. I began spending a lot of time with him, and with Junpei, consiquently. It didn't matter... in the presense of my missing half - of my _creation_ - I was in bliss. I never made a motion towards him, though he must have felt something similar, as he did. I clung to him, and in the privacy rarely available to us, I let him claim me, in the hopes that he could fill the missing part of my soul. I committed the greatest sin of all, in proclaiming love for my own son, to an effect. I could feel the sense of having committed a sin, but I did not understand the guilt. The guilt that never mattered when I was in his warm embrace.

Upon learning who and what he was, and getting everyone's thoughts on the matter, I decided to let my other half live. If he died human, then there was no chance of me ever seeing him again, in the afterlife. I explained this to him, and tears came to his eyes. We kissed, and he ended up wiping my face dry.

"...We'll meet again," he whispered quietly, his hot breath tickling my ear, "...I promise. We'll meet, and we'll become one."

"I... want to be with you forever..." I ushered. "I won't... be long."

"Don't kill yourself, Minato--"

"I'm going to die for you. For everyone," I replied, resting my head against his chest, "...We'll meet again. I swear, on my love for you."

"...Then I will wait," he replied gently, "Because I love you, too."


	8. Instruction

**Title: **"Instruction"

**Rating: **PG

**Genre: **Romance, fluff

**Pairings:** Takeba Yukari x Aegis x Arisato Minato

**Warnings:** Lolz, bisexuality

**Summary:** Minato admits to both Aegis and Yukari of his sexuality, and the two are left behind, with only each other for company.

**Assisting Song: **"Ya Shosla S Uma"/"All the Things She Said" by t.A.T.u.

_

* * *

_

Instruction

* * *

"Come on, Aegis," Yukari sighed in defeat, "Let's let Minato know how you feel."

"...? Yukari-san, I still have not received an answer from you," Aegis replied, sounding slightly distressed. "I asked that you name the emotion I described."

"...I know, Aegis, but we still have to tell him. I'll tell you afterwards," Yukari sighed, pushing her towards the stairs.

Needless to say, it didn't end well. Minato listened quietly to Aegis, and glanced at Yukari. Yukari explained that while she felt the same way, she would give way to Aegis. Minato gave them both a pained expression as he said something too low to be detected. After a moment, he repeated what he had said - he loved them, as well, but he had his eyes set on someone. When Yukari blew up and demanded to know _who,_ the name startled her. After all, that was a _guy's_ name. Before Minato elaborated, he retreated to his room, leaving the girls alone.

"Aegis... are you okay...?" Yukari asked shakily.

"...I do not feel any poor emotions, but you seem... distraught, Yukari-san," Aegis replied calmly.

"...How can you be so calm about what just happened? I'm kinda jealous..."

"Did you... harbor feelings for Minato-san, Yukari-san?"

"Yeah, a little," Yukari admitted, turning a bit pink. "But, y'know, I just want him to be happy. That's... enough for me."

"...You instructed me to report to Minato-san," Aegis started, "And on my behalf, as well as his. But what of yourself? Do you have... alternatives?"

"...I guess I could make one, if I needed to," Yukari said shyly, tapping her toes sheepishly. "Others should come first, however..."

"I agree. Yukari-san, give me new instructions," Aegis confirmed, a straight face on, "But these instructions must be in _your_ best interest. You have already tended to me; it is your turn."

"...Thanks, Aegis," Yukari laughed meekly. "... but if it's for me, I won't instruct you. I'll ask."

"I will be listening to your request, Yukari-san," Aegis replied, her tone a bit softer. Yukari giggled a bit.

"Heehee, your monotone voice is... well, funny," Yukari giggled, "I suppose it's appealing, though. It's kinda cute."

"Cute? I suppose. I am... not very good at judging aesthetics as of yet."

"That's right... you can develop, just like people. Well, I guess that makes sense. You are a really human-like robot," Yukari sighed, thinking for a moment. "...Would you... keep me company, Aegis? A-at least, until I can move on...?"

"Instructions accepted, Yukari," Aegis replied gently, smiling. Yukari blushed at the sweetness of the robot's smile.


	9. Pretty Please?

**Title: **"Pretty Please?"

**Rating: **PG 13

**Genre: **Romance, fluff, humor

**Pairings:**Arisato Minato x Iori Junpei

**Warnings:**Shounen-ai, _**spoilers**_, some lolz

**Summary:**Junpei is aggravated by his inability to measure up to Minato, but Minato really can't stand having anyone mad at him, and the way Minato goes about solving this brings a new problem upon Junpei...

Pretty Please?

* * *

"You got an order for me, _boss_?" Junpei spat angrily. Minato looked at him, a little surprised.

"Actually, I do," Minato replied softly, leaning over the back of the sofa in order to keep his voice down. "But I'll make it a _request_ rather than an _order_."

"Tch," Junpei dismissed, not really paying attention. Minato quickly shifted gears. Authority wouldn't work - time to try something else.

"Junpei..." he began, whispering into Junpei's ear. Junpei turned bright pink, looking up at Minato as if the blue hair on his head had turned bright fuchsia. Yes, fuchsia. The most faggoty color ever. Fuchsia. Minato quickly followed up with a subtle lick to Junpei's ear, which Akihiko didn't happen to see.

"What the _HELL_??" Junpei jumped to his feet, storming off into his upstairs room. Akihiko, from the opposite couch, gave Minato a strange look. Also looking at him as if his hair turned fuchsia.

"...That was..." he started, then stopped before he got ahead of himself, "U-um... what did you _say_ to him?"

"Oh? Just..." Minato used the similar soft, low tone he had before. "...'Please don't hate me, Junpei'. Y'know. He's been kinda snotty lately."

"...And that's how you handle the situation?"

"He'll be thinking before he acts up again," Minato replied with a smile, "The gay-scare works on most men."

"O-oh, I see what you're doing..." Akihiko sighed in relief. "For a minute, I thought you were..."

"Gay? Naw," Minato shrugged. He started to head off before he called over his shoulder, "There is a difference between homosexual and bisexual, y'know." And with that warhead left to detonate in Akihiko's mind, Minato went to bed.

* * *

A few days following the... incident... Junpei had seemed to calm down. He still felt outraged, no doubt about that. Every time he thought of Minato, he got mad. But every time he saw him, he got confused. Or pissed, but typically a mix of the two. But Minato started _talking _to him again, and that started to push things back downhill. Not particularly because Minato acted like nothing happened. That would have made it easy for Junpei to just keep on steadily hating him. But no, he was suddenly so _attentive _that it made Junpei want to kick puppies. Minato was making sure not to tease him when he wasn't in the mood for it, and made sure to never ask anything of him on a bad note, and to never make Junpei go out of his way for anything. It was driving him _insane_. And only a day and a half had freaking passed since the love hotel.

Junpei made his decision. He had to confront Minato about this.

* * *

Unfortunately, his impatience impeded his reasoning, and Minato was much more prepared. Junpei was at his wit's end as he howled, "What d'ya MEAN, you're SORRY?? That's NOT THE POINT!!"

"But I am," Minato said softly. He had switched to a new tactic after expending the gay hit-on tactic. Now he was using the 'timid and humble' method, that Minato was sure wasn't going to completely work, but would have some effect for sure. "I don't want to be selfish. You've been so upset with me lately, Junpei, that I don't want to make it worse. It's worse than anything else when you're mad."

"A-ah, uh..." Junpei groaned. Now he felt like a jackass. He huffed. "Tch!" Following his outburst, he stormed off. Yukari approached Minato.

"Are... you guys alright?"

"Yup. I'm almost done solving the problem," Minato replied. "So I'll need you not to bug him too much. But do tease him a little so he doesn't think you're doing the same thing as me."

"O-okay..."

"Soon, we'll have our old playful Junpei back," Minato giggled.

* * *

Junpei sulked in his room, unable to focus on anything (even his video games) and resorting to staring at the ceiling. Minato was starting to bug him again. Such a goddamned sweet smile the kid had. It pissed him off. It pissed him off because Minato was better than he could ever be. And instead of trying to change it, Junpei instead tried to bring Minato down. Junpei pissed himself off. He sort of understood this, but he couldn't shake the hate he was feeling. Finally, he confronted Minato one more time. The fake kindness was too much.

"Goddamnit, you keep acting all high-and-mighty, and you keep acting like you care, but you _don't_!!"

"Iori!" Mitsuru yelled threateningly. Junpei ignored her.

"Well, I'm sick of it! I'm sick of _you_!! Always doing better than me, but always saying bullshit like 'it was just luck' or 'it was nothing'! That's even more assholish than bragging about it!! You piss me off!! I'm so sick of this!"

"Is that..." Minato started, his voice at a strange, unfamiliar tone. Everyone fell silent and laid their eyes on him. "Is that... how you really feel?"

"Dude...?" Junpei asked, still irritated but uncertain of how to approach this side of Minato. He jumped and gasped as Minato lifted his head, his face coming into full view. _Minato is... no way..._

His face was flustered, his eyebrows trembling with the effort of squeezing his eyes shut. His eyes were crammed in the hope of damming the tears that slipped by despite, and once the first tear fell, Minato inhaled with a bit of a labored squeak. Something like a sob. Everyone was shocked - even Junpei was completely unaware of how to handle the situation.

"I--I'm sorry..." he began, the tears jerking themselves free and flowing rapidly. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. "I... I really... d-didn't mean to make you so mad, Junpei..." he whimpered. Junpei felt a tug of guilt at his heart. Now he _really_felt like a jackass. "I... I-I was j-just try-ying to d-do my best f-for you... for e-everyone... I-I didn't ever sh-show how nervous I was b-because I didn't want y-you to be upset! I-I-I'm th-the l-l-leader, I... I have to k-keep it together!!" he wailed, making Junpei panic and everyone else glare at Junpei.

"Great going, Stupei," Yukari started, "I can't believe you...!!"

"N-no, Yukari," Minato interrupted, "I... it's not his fault... it's my fault. I'm sorry!!"

"H-hey, man, quit crying," Junpei attempted, and although Minato calmed down a slight bit, he kept sobbing. "Stop that, dude, that's not fair..."

"Not fair, Iori?" Mitsuru hissed through clenched teeth.

"I didn't mean it like that!!" Junpei yelled.

"It's... not his fault..." Minato sobbed. Junpei automatically redirected his attention to Minato.

"C-c'mon, dude, quit crying, I can't handle shit like this," Junpei said nervously, "You're crying like a girl, I swear!"

"I... I c-can't help it..." Minato bawled. "I can't help it... not when you hate me...! I don't want you to hate me...!!"

"H-hey, man, I don't hate ya, okay?" Junpei attempted, trying his best to be kind. In truth, he felt his jealousy and frustrations fading away... "C'mon, tell me what I gotta do to make it better."

"..." Minato reduced himself to whimpering, and moved his gaze to the floor. Junpei sighed, attempting the words Minato had used before.

"...pretty please?" he said, almost painfully. Minato looked up at Junpei, and smiled softly. "Y-yeah, that's better. U-um... you need me to do anything? I'll do it to make up for yelling at ya a minute ago..."

"...Not especially..." Minato said softly.

"Any little thing. I know, uh, dessert, maybe? Some ice cream? Or maybe I'll go get coffee for tomorrow... um, is that good?" Junpei asked, trying his best. Minato giggled softly, smiling gently at his classmate.

"I guess... ice cream is good."

"All right! Hope ya like chocolate! I'll go get some for everyone!!" Junpei said hastily, excusing himself with humiliation. Mitsuru shifted her attention to Minato, who was calmly wiping the tears off of his face.

"...That was probably the best display of crocodile tears I have ever seen," Mitsuru said, impressed slightly.

"I don't usually have to go that far," Minato laughed, grinning deviously. "Most fall victim at step one."


	10. You Idiot

**Title: **"You Idiot"

**Rating: **PG 13

**Genre: **Romance, fluff

**Pairings:** Aragaki Shinjiro x Iori Junpei, mentioned Sanada Akihiko x Arisato Minato

**Warnings:** Total language problem from Shinji (as if you didn't see that coming), yaoi, wtfness

**Summary:** Junpei, having a crush on Akihiko, confronts who he _thinks_ Aki is seeing, and Shinji isn't too pleased to be reminded that he _isn't_ the one dating Aki.

**Assisting Song: **"How Soon is Now?" by t.A.T.u.

You Idiot

* * *

"I won't lose to you!" Junpei hollered, making Shinjiro look grouchily over his shoulder at the younger boy. Shinjiro blinked, still glaring at the boy in the ball cap.

"What are you talking about, you idiot?" Shinjiro asked in his dark, apathetic tone. Glaring from under his beanie, he added, "You meaning to pick a fight with me? You sound like Aki."

"Yeah, that's what I'm here to talk to you about!" Junpei attempted to be intimidating, but he sounded a bit more like a child than he could have afforded. "I won't let you have Aki!"

"Is that what you're hollering about, you damn fool?" Shinjiro growled, standing up straight for the first time. Junpei felt dwarfed instantly. "You shouldn't chase Aki unless he's chasing you."

"B-but, he told me..." Junpei said, before glaring up at Shinjiro, "And YOU! You just LEFT him, and didn't come back for the longest time!!"

"Before you go any further, what exactly did Aki tell you?" Shinjiro interrupted, "Wait, let me guess. 'I already have someone special. I'm sorry.' Something like that? No name?"

"H-huh?? Y-yeah, actually," Junpei said, the thought process forcing him to calm down and think.

"How do you know he was talking about me?"

"The way you two talk to each other..."

"Then you're stupider than I thought," Shinjiro sighed angrily, "I know what he told you because he told me the same thing."

"What...?" Junpei asked, looking up at Shinjiro in surprise.

"I wriggled it out of him that he's dating that blue-haired kid. He's a nice kid, I suppose. And if he's treating Aki right, then I don't mind. You best adopt that approach too, kid."

"Damn it, why should I watch him from the sidelines?? I can't win, can I? I can't make it with any girls, and when I finally feel something for someone, and think I have a shot, he's dating _Minato_!! _Minato_, of all people! That blue-haired bastard, always better than me--"

"Stop bitchin," Shinjiro grumbled, thumping Junpei on the head with his fist. It wasn't a hit, per se, but it knocked Junpei off balance. "You're being a brat."

"Shut up, you punk trash!"

"You, idiot," Shinjiro retorted, sending a sneer at Junpei, who was loosing his fire very quickly.

"...I won't give up," Junpei concluded, stomping his foot. "I mean, I can't help it. I don't want to be alone. This sucks. I'm only freakin _human_, man, I need to be _loved_!!"

"...Then stay right here," Shinjiro sighed. "You and me both, kid. Maybe we can make up for what we lost."

"...You can't replace Aki," Junpei said in a low voice, almost instantly regretting it, hoping Shinjiro wouldn't take offense. The older boy merely huffed, a smirk crossing his face.

"No one can replace Aki. But you never had him in the first place, so there's no need to _replace_ him, is there? I admit, it's not much of a love interest. But I'm only human."

"...ass," Junpei grumbled, approaching Shinjiro. Junpei gasped as he was pushed against the wall, his cap tipped up so the taller boy could kiss him unobstructed, attempting to suck Junpei's tonsils out of his throat.

"...You idiot."


	11. I'll Love You Always

**Title: **"I'll Love You Always"

**Rating: **PG

**Genre: **Romance, fluff

**Pairings:** Arisato Minato x Kamiki Akinari

**Warnings:** Shounen-ai, tooth-rotting fluffiness

**Summary:** Minato feels close to Akinari, though he knows he shouldn't... Akinari thinks he loves Minato, though he's convinced it's because of his illness... before Akinari perishes...

_I'll Love You Always_

* * *

"...What do you think of a pink alligator?" Akinari inquired, looking at his new friend. His honey-golden gaze was met with Minato's silvery orbs. Those silvery eyes carried a hue of color from whatever they reflected. They had a subtle golden hue to them today, with the autumnal leaves covering the trees and the ground. Minato's warm smile made Akinari's heart melt.

"That sounds very cute," he said, smiling a little wider. Akinari felt his weak heart skip, almost painfully.

"I knew you'd understand," Akinari huffed, a bit breathlessly. Minato's gaze, his words, his smile... all of these made Akinari flustered. He didn't get why, either. When Minato left, he would beat himself up over it. 'Why am I thinking this way??' he would think, 'why am I acting so gay? Do I really have feelings for Minato? Or am I just abusing him because I'm lonely??' But here, with Minato's soft, comforting smile directed towards him, Akinari didn't care. He felt good when Minato was around. He loved talking to Minato, and loved even more to hear his voice in response. Minato often told him to spare his words, when his illness caught up with him, but Akinari wanted to hear Minato's voice. Realizing this, he sighed, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry. How much precious time have you wasted coming here to see me? I don't deserve it..." he sighed, looking at the ground to negate the euphoric effect that Minato gave him. He wanted Minato to understand, after all.

"Akinari..." Minato ushered, touching the sickly boy's thin leg. Akinari looked at Minato, turning redder. He didn't think his body had that much blood. Minato really got it circulating. Akinari jumped in surprise when Minato reached around him, pulling him into a hug. Akinari sat, confused, with his face against Minato's shoulder.

"Mina...to...?"

"Why wouldn't you deserve it?" he asked gently, squeezing the sickly boy a bit, "You deserve it more than anyone, Akinari. You're long overdue for some TLC..."

"Minato..." Akinari muttered, turning pink, relaxing in Minato's embrace. _'This feels... kinda nice,' _he thought, feeling calmness slowly soak in. _'This feels really nice...'_

"...I love you, Akinari," Minato said softly, in an almost inaudible tone. Akinari snapped from his euphoria when he heard it. Minato tensed when he jumped. He then released the ill boy, shamefully averting his gaze. "...I'm sorry. That's probably the last thing you need on your mind right now..."

"...Do you mean that?" Akinari asked after a few moments of silence, "...Do you really love me? Or do you pity me?"

"I feel sympathy, yes, but that's not it. I know I shouldn't feel so strongly, but..." Minato sighed, still not resting his silver gaze back on Akinari, "...it doesn't matter if I'm hurt in the end... as long as you're happy..."

"Minato..." Akinari sighed, looking down at the ground himself. "I'm sorry. I'm so selfish..."

"Wanting to be with someone isn't selfish," Minato sighed. "...I'm going to be really miserable when you die. But I don't want you to be upset, too. I want to see you smiling, and happy."

"...Then kiss me," Akinari said, meekly. He had read many a romance novel, and the sensation of love was something he always wanted. But from Minato? At this moment, it didn't seem wrong at all. Minato looked up at him, a bit sullen. He then smiled softly, making Akinari's heart melt again. He sat back up, and leaned towards Akinari...

...but he halted before reaching the boy. "Akinari... are you... do you really...?"

"Minato..." Akinari ushered, grabbing the healthy boy's hand, "...if I fall in love with anyone, I want to fall in love with you. Please." Minato looked directly into his eyes, staring for almost a full minute. A full, agonizing minute. Akinari repeated even more quietly, "...please. Kiss me."

Minato sighed, feeling decisive. The healthy, warm hand that Akinari had held moved, brushing silver hair out of the young man's face. Minato leaned in again, Akinari mimicking the motion. When their lips met the first time, they did little more. When Minato pulled away, and saw how red and passionate Akinari's face had become, he returned for a second kiss, slipping his tongue past the other boy's soft lips. Akinari had never kissed before (naturally) and no book he ever read described kissing very well. So Akinari was rather awkward about it, while Minato very hesitantly but skillfully kissed the other, making him swoon. When Minato broke off, Akinari stopped to cough for a few minutes. Minato looked at him worriedly, but meeting his gaze as he recovered, the blue-haired boy gave the other a gentle laugh.

"I love you, Akinari," Minato whispered softly, interlocking his fingers with Akinari's and resting his forehead against the soft silver bangs of his beloved.

"...Always?"

"...I'll love you always," Minato assured him, closing his eyes, "Your body will die someday... but you'll always live in me. I'll love you always."


	12. The Difference

**Title: **"The Difference"

**Rating: **PG 13

**Genre: **Romance, fluff

**Pairings:**Arisato Minato x Jin, Takaya x Jin

**Warnings:** Parallel Universe/Twilight Zone type of plot manipulation (laughs), and my trademark anti-diabetic fluffy sweetness. Probably some spoilers, too.

**Summary:**Before Strega made itself present as an enemy, Jin has a chance encounter with someone whose hair is just as blue as his...

**Assisting Song: **"How Soon is Now?" by t.A.T.u.

_The Difference_

* * *

Jin gasped in surprise as Takaya pinned him against a wall. He trembled at Takaya's hot breath. He wasn't unfamiliar with this. He had offered himself up to his mentor a long time ago, and Takaya certainly had no hesitation in accepting it. Jin truly did love Takaya, and was more than happy to do this for him, but when Takaya was overtaken with lust, Jin felt both humbled and intimidated. A number of rude comments from the punks also in the alleyway made Takaya withdraw from Jin, to glare at them.

"Takaya..." Jin panted, "Later. We can do it later."

"Of course," Takaya replied smoothly, grinning at Jin. "Wait here, then."

"Where...?"

"Chidori ran off somewhere today. I'll go find her, and we'll go into the Tower of Demise tonight. I feel like stretching my legs, if you know what I mean," Takaya chuckled, a deep, throaty sound. Jin sighed as he watched Takaya disappear from the alley, as pale and motionless as a ghost.

Jin knew that the punks wouldn't bother him (seeing as they'd seen his briefcase just chock full of grenades before), and sat down to relax for a bit. He looked at the time on his phone, and took out his pills, sticking a few into his mouth and trying to swallow them dryly. Choking a bit, he grimaced at the feeling of heartburn that followed right after it. Jin usually had something to drink, but money was spare and he certainly didn't have enough change to go whimsically buy a drink...

"Here," a voice said, startling Jin. Jin nearly grabbed his evoker, blinking when he saw what was held out in front of him was, well, a drink. A non-alcoholic one, at that. Jin looked up to meet the silvery eyes of a boy who was no doubt still in high school. "I didn't open it, if that's your concern."

"Thanks, but why...?"

"On a whim, I suppose," he excused himself, shrugging. If it hadn't been a Sunday, Jin would have been able to recognize a Gekkoukan uniform. But, instead, he saw the boy's rather dashing tan outfit. Handsome, sure, but Jin wasn't interested.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing," he said, sitting down next to Jin. "Just bored. You looked kinda lonely, so I came to talk."

"What are you, a charity worker?" Jin growled, offended.

"Nope. Just an overall nice guy, I guess," he shrugged. "It's a habit of mine to be friendly with people. Better than putting myself against them, or being indifferent, right?"

"...Whatever," Jin sighed, popping the cap. It was sealed, certainly, so he didn't worry too much about the possibility of date rape. You never know. "...You'll get yourself in trouble, being nice to strangers."

"Hahah, haven't heard that in ten years," he chuckled softly. "Dad used to say that."

"Divorce?" Jin asked, "Or abandonment?"

"Death," he replied flatly. "Both of them."

"Sorry about that," Jin said, also rather flatly, "Though excuse my apathy towards the situation."

"Apathy appreciated," the boy responded with a slight laugh, smiling at Jin, "My name is Minato."

"...Jin," the older boy looked at Minato over his orange glasses. "So... Minato... what brings you over here?"

"To the station? I was visiting Tanaka-san," Minato replied with a shrug, "Y'know, from that thrifty television program. He's strange, but a fun person to talk to. The stranger, the more interesting, in my opinion."

"True, that," Jin laughed, looking back down at his evoker's holster. "It's dangerous in the back, though, kid."

"I know. I've already run into trouble here," Minato snorted, "I'm not afraid of them. They could beat me, sure, but wounds heal. And if they kill me, then they're charged with murder, and they won't go that far. They're wimps compared to some of the enemies I've gone against." Jin looked at Minato's eyes, which seemed a bit more icy than before. "...By the way. I saw what that man was doing to you."

"That's... Takaya," Jin said simply. He didn't like the direction this was turning.

"...He's awfully rough," Minato said. Jin frowned at the concerned tone in Minato's voice.

"Shut up," Jin growled, "There's nothing wrong with Takaya. I owe him, anyway."

"'I'm human, and I need to be loved'... huh," Minato mused. "So it's a favor, and not love?"

"Shut _up_," Jin hissed, standing up aggressively against Minato, who merely looked up at him. "I don't care about _myself_, just Takaya. If he's happy, then--" Jin cut off, eyes as wide as saucers. Minato had gotten up and, in a flash, pressed his lips against Jin's. For the fleeting moment that it lingered, Jin's stomach flipped. Minato's kiss was different than Takaya's. It was... softer. More gentle. It made Jin's heart ache, and his face turn pink, and he frowned deeply at this. Minato locked his steely gaze with Jin's, not inhibited by the glasses one bit.

"You should think about yourself before others," Minato said softly, giving Jin a genuine smile as opposed to Takaya's grin before departing. Jin, frozen in place where he stood, stared blankly at Minato until that shimmering blue hair disappeared from sight. Jin finally moved, gingerly touching his lips with his fingers.


	13. Rules and Reputation

Title: "Rules and Reputation"

**Title: **"Rules and Reputation"

**Rating:** PG

**Genre: **Fluff, humor

**Pairings: **Arisato Minato x Iori Junpei

**Warnings: **Shounen-ai, risk of cavities (sweetness)

**Summary:** Junpei accidentally stumbles on one of Minato's little secrets, and learns a bit more about his soft-hearted, quiet friend... namely, Minato's greatest weakness.

**Note: **The story of the 'rescue' is based off of one of my dear friends, though the details are a bit different for the sake of this little story.

Rules and Reputation

"What's that, dude?" Junpei asked, sticking his hand in the bag that Minato had lessened his grip on. Minato's hand clamped down on Junpei's wrist, extracting it from the paper bag as out came... "What the-- a cat toy??"

"Shut up," Minato hissed, dragging Junpei up the stairs in a flash and into his room. He snatched the cat toy and glared angrily at Junpei. "Junpei," Minato started, stating Junpei's name angrily.

"Wh-wha...? Oh, do you have some kind of dirty fetish for cat toys or something?" Junpei assumed stupidly, "No worries, man, I've got my own--"

"No, you idiot," Minato sighed. For Minato's words to be so clear and crisp was indication that Minato was uncharacteristically angry.

"You collect cat toys, then?"

"Why haven't you assumed the obvious?" Minato asked, frustration rising in his chest.

"Uh..." Junpei scratched his head. "Well, owning pets is against the rules, and I _know_ you're not a rule-breaker. I mean, well, you're a goodie-goodie of sorts, I guess. I just don't see you breaking rules. You don't mean to tell me..."

"Meyuu" Minato held the mewing kitten out in front of Junpei. Even though Minato maintained his pout and glare, a slight pinkness across his cheeks altered his appearance and made it apparent that he wasn't truly angry with Junpei now that the kitten was in his hands. "Miiyuuuu, myuuuu!" the kitten squeaked, batting a paw at Junpei from between Minato's safe nest of interwoven fingers.

"I saved her," Minato asserted, anger fading from his face.

"Saved her? Was she in a box by herself?" Junpei asked, "Won't the mom be upset?"

"I stole her from the garbage man," Minato sighed, "I heard mewling in the truck, and dove in. He told me to get out so he could compact it, even after I told him that there were kittens in there."

"He wanted to kill the kittens??" Junpei nearly roared, though Minato's gaze kept his voice low enough. "What an a--"

"Yeah, I know," Minato interrupted, not too keen on letting Junpei curse, "I guess I punched him or something."

"You... guess?"

"I forgot. I was so angry that I just decked him somehow before I found her. I couldn't find any other cats, but..." Minato sighed, stroking the kitten's head. "...And I don't want to give her to the shelter..."

"Why?" Junpei asked, raising an eyebrow. Instead of responding verbally, Minato pulled Junpei's hands down and placed the kitten in them. Junpei blinked, and held the kitten more securely as he felt her purr. Her big eyes looked up at him, and Junpei sighed. "Yeah, okay, it makes sense now."

"I... have a weakness for it," Minato sighed, looking to the side. Junpei's jaw fell open. "For kittens, puppies, kids... I have a weakness for them."

"_That's_ your big weakness?? All of us have some sort of super weakness, like how I have no real aim or anything, or how Yuka-tan has, like, no defensive power!! And your weakness is _cute things??_"

"I'm certainly more likely to do something stupid if I'm helping something small and cute," Minato sighed, "I nearly got squished by a trash compacter, after all..."

"You're _insane_," Junpei gasped, looking down at the kitten, who was batting softly at his thumbs. "...I guess I should actually worry about you, now."

"There's no cute shadow," Minato said, shrugging, "So I think I'll be fine."

"Anyway, I don't think Mitsuru would really mind pets if it's _you_..."

"I've got an image," Minato laughed softly, "Y'know, of being the leader. I can't let them know my weakness for cute things. Imagine how they'd take advantage of me. It'd be embarrassing. Besides, that brings my love interest into question, and I'm only willing to talk about that with a few people."

"I guess that makes sense..."

After a few hours of the two sitting on the bed and talking, all the while playing with the kitten, Junpei finally raised a question. "What're you gonna name her? Or did ya already do that?"

"Hmm..." Minato hummed apathetically, twirling the feather that the kitten was chasing. "Mirai."

"Mirai?" Junpei asked, "Some special meaning behind it? Your girlfriend, maybe?" Junpei gave Minato a devilish grin. Minato stopped what he was doing and looked up at Junpei.

"What's my name?"

"Minato..."

"And the kitten's?"

"Mirai..." Junpei said, and then jumped as he realized it. "Oh, hey, the Minatomirai... I remember going on a fieldtrip to that building in middle school!" He exclaimed. "Well, I guess that's clever. I would've named him Bruiser or something."

"It's a girl," Minato sighed, smiling softly at Junpei.

"Whatever, whatever. If I was a cat, I'd be cute enough for ya, right?" Junpei asked, leaning back. It was an innocent question, but it caused Minato to pause. Junpei didn't notice. "Hell, you ignore me a lot, man. I must be real irritating. If you ignore me, and Yuka-tan just yells at me--"

"It's inconceivable," Minato interrupted, looking straight into Junpei's face.

"Incon-what?" Junpei asked, arching an eyebrow.

"It's not possible," Minato elaborated, "...for you to get cuter, that is. If that was the case, I'd have to kick you when you turned into a kitten."

"...Wha--??" Junpei asked, turning red and getting confused. He didn't know which part to question.

"You know how something can be so cute that you want to do destructive things to it?" Minato asked, "Sometimes when I see a really cute puppy, I get this horrible urge to kick it. Or if I talk to a really cute girl, I just wanna give her a little thump on the head. Or when you get into your shenanigans..." Minato paused, smiling softly, "...I just want to throw you against the wall and ravish you."

"Wh-whoa, Minato, man, you're freaking me out--"

"It's okay," Minato replied, absently watching the kitten again. "The urges are sporadic - fleeting at best. Very rare. My urge to ravish you isn't as common as my urge to hug or kiss you. It's okay if you don't feel the same way. If you don't like me, I'll get over it and find someone else."

"N-naw, man, it's cool..." Junpei said, turning pink and fidgeting with the brim of his cap. He was startled by Minato, who pressed him against the wall and gave him a gentle, almost timid kiss on the lips. "M-Mina--"

"You said it's okay," Minato countered, pouting. "I just wanted to do that. I like you, Junpei."

"Man, I know that," Junpei sighed, still pink. Minato picked up the kitten and curled up next to Junpei, resting his head against the other boy's shoulder. "You're more like a cat than Mirai is," Junpei said, "Either aggressive or possessive."

"You're worth it," Minato replied blankly, rubbing his cheek against Junpei's jacket. In an awkward silence, the two sat. Mirai had curled up into Minato's hands and calmed. "...She's fallen asleep," Minato said softly.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Junpei noticed, looking at the sleeping kitten. "...She's almost as cute as you are, y'know?" Junpei attempted, barely choking it out as his voice got more and more inflamed.

"...I love you too," Minato chuckled back.


	14. Snowflake

**Title: **"Snowflake"

**Rating: **PG

**Genre: **Romance, fluff

**Pairings:**Akihiko Sanada x Mitsuru Kirijo hinted Akihiko x Shinjiro Aragaki

**Warnings:** Extreme sweetness (risk of cavities)

**Summary:**As tough as Akihiko is, he just can't handle the temperature of the dorm now that Shinjiro's gone...

_Snowflake_

* * *

"M-Mitsuru..." Akihiko shivered, knocking on her door. When she didn't answer, Akihiko turned to retreat back to his room, to shiver himself to sleep again.

"What is it, Akihiko?" Mitsuru asked sleepily, cracking the door open. She was wearing a night gown, which was _so thin_that Akihiko gasped. Though normally he would gasp at how _gorgeous_ she looked in it, at this moment, he gasped...

"How can you _wear _something that thin??"

"Excuse me?" Mitsuru snorted, flaring up.

"It's _so cold in this dorm. _How can you wear something so thin and not be freezing?" Akihiko muttered through clenched teeth, unable to effectively restrain their chattering. After a moment's pause, Mitsuru began to laugh.

"Is that what you're here for, Akihiko?" Mitsuru asked, laughing. She looked relieved. "It hasn't changed or anything."

"No, the temperature hasn't," Akihiko grumbled through chattering teeth. He paused before turning a little pink. "...Just, he isn't here, and..."

"...Oh, Akihiko..." Mitsuru sighed. She knew the relationship that Shinjiro and Akihiko had. And while she assumed they were doing... things... together in Shinjiro's room, it dawned on her...

"It's colder when you're alone," Akihiko shivered softly, "And... well..."

"You want to spend the night with me?" Mitsuru asked, raising an eyebrow.

"O-or turn the heat back up," Akihiko hurriedly added. Mitsuru sighed, opening her door all the way and folding her arms to fully examine him. He was dressed in his warmest pair of pajamas (which, humorously, had Jack Frost all over them) on, as well as a pair of 'house socks' that were probably fluffy and warm. And he was still cold? "...Why do you have Jack Frost pajamas on?" Mitsuru asked, hoping to lighten the situation.

"I have a weakness for the cold," Akihiko said, a strange look on his face. Like he was smiling and pouting at the same time. "...I like everything about the cold _except_ the cold."

"...Akihiko..." Mitsuru laughed, a hand going to her mouth as she chuckled. Akihiko blew up like a red balloon.

"I-it's not funny, Mi-"

"No, it's not," Mitsuru agreed, smiling at Akihiko, "It's cute. You mean to tell me that all of those nights in Shinjiro's room, you two were snuggling and not doing something else?"

"...That's perverted, Mitsuru," Akihiko said teasingly. Mitsuru dismissed it, since he was chattering so much. "Shinjiro was my brother."

"More than that," Mitsuru sighed, smiling sadly.

"And you are my sister," Akihiko added, looking Mitsuru square in the face. "I'm not interested in the sins of the flesh as of now. Just like how I'm not used to the cold." Mitsuru sighed again, looking him over one more time.

"Well, if that remains true..." Mitsuru sighed, "Come on. I'll have the heating fixed tomorrow."


	15. Unavailable

**Title: **"Unavailable"

**Rating: **PG

**Genre: **Romance, fluff

**Pairings:**Sanada Akihiko x Amada Ken (one-sided), Sanada Akihiko x Arisato Minato

**Warnings:**Shota (of sorts, still work-safe)

**Summary:**Ken knew better than to assume that Akihiko returned his feelings. He'd seen how intimate his idol was with his leader, after all...

**Assisting Song: **"All I Need" by Within Temptation

_Unavailable_

* * *

"Sanada-san!" Ken called, rushing to catch up with his idol, who blinked down at him.

"What is it, Ken?"

"Can I come watch your match today?" Ken asked, beaming.

"Uh, sure, I guess," Akihiko said a little awkwardly, "Although, you see me fight in Tartarus, so I don't see much of a point..."

"That's different," Ken asserted, "You're fighting for your life, not for fun. I want to see the difference."

"...Well, I suppose that's alright," Akihiko sighed, scratching the back of his head. "I'm going to the police station. You coming?"

"Sure!" Ken agreed, smiling brightly.

"Minato's coming, too, so we've gotta wait a minute," Akihiko added, slinging his jacket over his shoulder. Ken's smile faltered, but only for a moment. He loved Akihiko, and wanted to spend time with him, but Minato made a good older brother, for sure. Ken admitted to enjoying getting spoiled by Minato. He couldn't hold any hostility towards him for being Akihiko's lover, either.

"Sorry," Minato quickly breathed as he rushed out of the front gates. Ken watched as Akihiko's face lit up, even faintly. It was the only reason Ken couldn't be jealous or hate Minato. The fact that the other brought such happiness to his beloved idol was enough for Ken. And yet...

"Ken's coming, too."

"I'll help buy armor for you, then," Minato said with a soft smile. Ken smiled back. Minato reminded him of his mother. "And maybe we can find a stronger spear for you? Yours is a little wimpy at this point."

"Okay!" Ken replied, all smiles. They went to the police station, where Ken was outfitted with the best equipment Kurosawa had, and then they returned to the dorm. Minato excused himself, explaining that he was a bit tired and headed off to bed early. Akihiko, acknowledging that there was no venturing to Tartarus tonight, headed upstairs after eating dinner. Ken followed soon after, seeing that both boys were in their respected rooms before he went to bed himself.

* * *

Ken attended Akihiko's competition, admiring the way Akihiko fought against other boxers. He was focused, but he wasn't nearly as driven as he was in Tartarus. He almost looked rushed or over-excited in the green haze. Under the spotlights of the gymnasium and make-shift ring, he looked much more casual and natural as he fought against his rivals. He took more damage than they, and dealt quicker and surer blows than they ever could. There was an obvious difference in the Akihiko of the Dark Hour and the Golden Boy of Gekkoukan. Both were enticing, to Ken's eyes, but the Golden Boy had a grace and power about him more suiting to Akihiko's Emperor Arcana. As they headed home, Ken was all smiles.

"That was so cool, Sanada-san!" Ken said excitedly, mouth nearly split from the width of his grin. "You're a lot more graceful in the ring than in the floors of Tartarus!"

"You think?" Akihiko asked, wiping sweat off of his forehead, "Maybe because fighting people is nothing compared to going against a shadow. Shadows are much stronger opponents, naturally."

"That might be it. You seem surer of yourself in the ring," Ken added, smiling up at Akihiko, who gave him a grin back.

"Thanks. I'm glad I have the rest of S.E.E.S. behind me when I go into Tartarus. ...I've gone solo against shadows. It's a tough, scary ordeal. I got pretty severely injured for it. Shadows are unpredictable," Akihiko chuckled. "Keep that in mind, Ken. Don't get yourself into trouble - we need you here, too."

"...thanks, Sanada-san," Ken said softly, hiding his emotions with a simple smile.

Not long after they returned to the dorm, Ken learned that Minato was sick once more and was already sleeping. Akihiko sat down on the couch, and Ken went to eat some dinner. He fixed himself some instant ramen, and ate that as he saw everyone head upstairs to bed. After dinner, he threw his cup away and went to check on Akihiko.

He stopped as he saw that Akihiko was sound asleep on the couch, a paper over his face. Ken went to investigate, but stopped and retreated to hide as he saw Minato approaching. Minato certainly looked pale, and had a face mask on to prevent the spread of germs. Minato looked softly at Akihiko, removing the paper from his face and stroking the pale-haired boy's cheek. After a moment, Minato found and placed a blanket over the sleeping boxer. Another stroke of the cheek, and Minato disappeared back upstairs. Ken looked back to Akihiko, sneaking closer. He sighed quietly as he looked at his sleeping mentor, a faint sadness tugging at his heart.

'Though I'll never have you...' Ken thought to himself, carefully and quietly leaning over and planting an extremely gentle kiss against Akihiko's lips, '...I'll always love you.'


End file.
